GMAQ - Golf Management Australia Queensland GMAQ Spring 2018 | Página 3

NOTE FROM THE EDITOR
BY MARK WHITING
So, who is right?
“I love a sunburnt country, a land of
sweeping plains, of ragged mountain
ranges of drought and flooding rains”.
The above excerpt from Dorothea
Mackellar’s 1908 poem “My Country”
spoke of droughts and flooding rains
over 110 years ago. Are the current
and recent climate patterns simply a
continuance of what it has always been,
or is this a man-made problem causing
an escalation in temperature?
My column (and I use the description
lightly) this month was going to be
a continuance of last edition’s piece,
with the intent of publishing ideas
forwarded to me by other managers.
But earlier this week there was a report
released by the Intergovernmental
Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) that
has really got me thinking. Since the
start of the industrial revolution, we
(human kind) have suspected we were
wreaking havoc on the planet (I mean,
we can’t put that much rubbish into our
atmosphere and not have some effect)
and as a result, are affecting the earth’s
climate. I flippantly and naively thought
the smarter people of our species
would sort this out and we would go
on our merry way. But if you believe the
91 authors, that reviewed over 6,000
scientific papers and studies over three
years, then it appears, without immediate
and drastic actions, we may be stuffed!
The experts’ conclusions are not
talking way off in the far distant future,
it appears it will be much sooner than
that. 50 degree plus days in Brisbane
will be common within the next 30
years. The good news is our current
federal government feel that this is all
guff and they will keep our “electricity
prices down” – because that is all
that matters. Let’s put an ex-miner in
charge of the environment portfolio –
brilliant appointment that one! (Sorry
for getting all political there).
So, some may ask, what does this have
to do with a Golf Club Management
article? Well nothing, but everything.
In an industry already dealing with
declining numbers and affected
by weather more than most, the
continuing change of climatic patterns
should be of concern. The last ten
years alone has seen golf clubs in South
East Queensland (and elsewhere)
severely affected by either flood or
drought, with severe financial effects.
If the climate patterns and weather
events are to become more serious
and intense as time goes on, what are
the effects on golf and golf courses
and more importantly what should we
About GMAQ
Golf Management Australia
- Queensland [GMAQ] is the
professional organisation serving
the needs of managers within
Queensland Golf. This e-magazine
is now a major communications
channel and deliverance of up to date
information for managers involved
in all areas of golf administration
throughout Queensland.
Membership to GMAQ is open
to all Golf Club Managers and
administrators within Queensland.
We hope that the e-magazine will
broaden the resources available to
managers – aiding the fulfillment of
their occupational objectives.
Publisher
GOLF INDUSTRY CENTRAL
Morlo Pty Ltd ACN 123 872 784
ABN 1812 3872 784
PO BOX 4743,
Robina Town Centre
Robina, QLD, Australia 4230
Contents may not be reproduced
without written permission. Views
expressed in editorial contributions do
not necessarily reflect the opinions of
this publication and it’s management.
GMAQ Committee
President
Aaron Muirhead
Nudgee GC
Captain
Scott Wagstaff
Carbrook GC
Treasurer
Gavin Lawrence
Keperra Country GC
Secretary
Sharon Purnell
Mt. Coolum GC
Committee
Andrew Webb
City GC
SPRING 2018
Committee
Jason Looker
Coloundra GC
I GMAQ
  3